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15 Delicious Gluten Free Valentine's Treats

Friday, February 13, 2015

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

I hope you have all had a fabulous week. In preparation for Valentine's Day, I have been perusing Pinterest for some delicious and possibly semi healthy Valentine's Day treats. I found so many delicious sounding recipes I wanted to share my top 15 picks with you guys!


I hope you enjoy and find something delicious to share with your Valentine, enjoy with friends, or gift to those you love!

Valentine Peanut Butter Cups by The Sugar Free Mom


Cherry Cheesecake Bars by The Heartbeet Kitchen


Gluten Free Oat Crepes by The Heartbeet Kitchen




Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake by Lexi's Clean Kitchen


Paleo Chocolate Molten Lava Cake by Clean Eating With A Dirty Mind




Paleo Strawberry Shortcake Bites by Rubies and Radishes


Valentine's Day Donuts by Fork and Beans


Gluten Free Soft Sugar Cookies by Flippin Delicious


No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake by Gluten Free Fix






Red Velvet Cake Pops by Flippin Delicious




So many delicious recipes! How will we ever choose? Let me know if you give any of them a try and what you think! I hope you have an amazing Valentine's Day with those you love. Linking up with Heather from Life In Leggings for Friday Favorites! 

Life In Leggings

What is your favorite Valentine's Day treat recipe? Leave a link in the comments! 

In health,

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Easy Peasy Paleo Meatballs

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Happy Thursday,

At the end of last year, I felt like E and I were in a dinner rut big time. There were about 10 dishes that were healthy and we both really liked. Since we try to eat at home 5 nights a week, those 10 dishes were getting old pretty fast. I decided that I would really dedicate a little time each week to rounding up some new recipes for us to try. Even if it's just one a week, that is one more recipe we can add into the rotation. This week, I went a little crazy and found 3 new recipes. I know, I'm loosing it right? Hahaha! On Monday night, we tried out a gluten free and paleo friendly Almond Crusted Chicken Tender recipe that we both loved. When something is healthy and E approved, you know it's a winner.

Hoping to keep the good cooking streak rolling, I decided to try my hand at gluten free meatballs. I searched through a couple of different recipes and then ended up coming up with my own version. Somehow, I have never ever made meatballs before so I was a little bit nervous about how they would turn out. I'm not sure why I thought they were so hard to make. These were a piece of cake and soooooo good! E quickly gave his stamp of approval after the first bite. Score 1 for Lauren!


I'm glad they were delicious, since I went a little crazy on the recipe and made way too much for just the two of us. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but this recipe definitely makes enough for 4-5 people. Guess what is on the menu for my lunch today..... yep, meatballs! :)


I whipped up some pasta for E and served my meatballs along side some homemade zuchinni noodles. I got a spiralizer for Christmas from my wonderful sister, Emily, and was excited to give it a try. It was a breeze to use and the noodles turned out perfectly. Turned out all of my worrying was for nothing (as usual E would say). The meatballs and noodles turned out better than expected, and I have yummy leftovers to enjoy for lunch!



Easy Peasy Paleo Meatballs

by Lauren George
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Keywords: bake entree gluten-free paleo
Ingredients (20 medium sized meatballs)
  • 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
  • 1/3 cup almond meal
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp pepper (more if you like them a little spicy)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line a cookie sheet with foil and rub with a tiny bit of olive oil.
Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well (your hands work best)!
Roll mixture into balls and place on cookie sheet. I would say mine were what you would consider a standard size meatball.
Bake for 25 minutes (I cut into one of mine just to be extra sure they were cooked through).
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I'm off to teach a Pilates mat class at the studio. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day. Let me know if you give the recipe a try!

Don't forget to enter my Spartan Race Entry Giveaway

Have you ever made homemade meatballs? Any favorite recipes to share?

In health,

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Three easy high protein meal ideas + A Spartan Race Entry Giveaway

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Howdy!

Happy first full week of 2015! I hope this year has been treating you well so far. Yesterday, I told you about my New Year's resolutions for a stronger Mind, Body, and Soul. Today, I thought I would give you a peak at a few of the EASY recipes I am using to work towards my goal of a stronger body through less sugar and processed foods. Additionally, my good friends over at Spartan, are keeping me motivated to work towards my stronger body with a ton of exciting new events for 2015. They have even been generous enough to offer all Fun, Fit, and Fabulous readers a discount on any race in the continental U.S. and one lucky reader will win a 100 % FREE RACE ENTRY!

So let's start where all healthy days start..... with breakfast! As you guys know, I am a HUGE oatmeal fan. I would eat it every day if I could, and not that there is anything wrong with oatmeal, but I have been trying to increase my protein intake in the mornings. I get tired of scrambled eggs pretty quickly, so I am always looking for ways to jazz them up. After my noodle arm making workout (full post on that tomorrow) yesterday, I whipped up an easy breakfast scramble. I had left over sweet potato fries from Sunday night and some delicious turkey sausage begging to be used in the fridge.

To make this scramble, I chopped up roughly 1/2 a cup of left over sweet potato fries and 2 small links of breakfast turkey sausage. Next, I heated up a non-stick skillet with 1 tsp of coconut oil and tossed in my sausage and sweet potatoes (remember the sweet potatoes were already cooked). After I felt like they were warm, I added three eggs (pre whisked). Mix until the eggs are completely cooked and voila!


Next up, is my new favorite lunch - Avocado Tuna Salad (zero mayonnaise to be found here). All I did was combine 1/2 a ripe avocado with 1 can of chunk white tuna in water, 1 tbs lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper to taste. I am really not a huge tuna fan, but I know how good it is for you so I try to incorporate it into my diet whenever possible. Now that I have found this combination, I will be eating it A LOT more often. I think avocados just make everything better! Yes, those green apple slices are gigantic!!



Last but not least, we have yesterday's dinner. This recipe comes to you compliments of Pinterest and You Hunt I Gather. We all know E is just an overgrown (a very intelligent one of course) 12 year old, and he definitely has the taste buds to go with it. When I saw this recipe for Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders, I knew I had to give it a try! They were so easy to make and delicious. Since I baked them instead of frying them, there was no messy grease to deal with. I will definitely be making these babies again very soon!



My second New Year's resolution for a strong body was to focus on increasing my strength in 2015. I specifically set the goal of increasing the number of pull-ups I can do throughout the year. I am definitely going to need that strength to conquer in a Spartan Race! I'm hoping to compete in one of the races when Spartan comes to Austin in May!!


The goal of the Spartan Race team is to bring the excitement of obstacle racing to spectators and athletes (even if you don't consider yourself an athlete) alike! With course lengths of 3+ miles (sprint), 8+ miles (super), and 12+ miles (beast), each course is filled with mud, water, and signature obstacles designed to help you discover your inner Spartan. Athletes of all fitness levels can participate and enjoy these challenging and invigorating obstacle courses! Spartan Race even has events for kids! They believe that fitness and adventure should involve the whole family. Now, that is something I can get excited about!

They have some exciting new things coming out in 2015! The new 2015 Spartan season pass has just been released with tons of great perks such as unlimited racing, special travel discounts, free bag check, and much more. The 2015 World Championship Spartan Race is also moving to Lake Tahoe California (somewhere on the top of my list of places to visit)! For all my podcast lovers (I love to listen to them when I'm walking or running), Joe Desena's "Spartan Up!" podcast is launching soon. Last but not least, the first ever Spartan Cruise is happening in March. Talk about not letting your workouts slide during vacation!

If that's not exciting enough, the Spartan Race team wants to offer all Fun, Fit, and Fabulous readers 10% off any race. Simply use the code SPARTANBLOGGER at checkout! They are also going to be giving one lucky reader a FREE RACE ENTRY into any race in the continental U.S.! Enter below for your chance to win!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Crockpot Bacon Chili

Friday, November 14, 2014

Happy Friday!

Brrrr it's cold outside! It has officially dropped below 50 degrees here in Austin, so that means it's chili time. This recipe is easy, gluten free, hearty, and healthy all wrapped up in one super delicious bowl!



This recipe is fairly simple and doesn't require a lot of fancy ingredients (my favorite kind of recipe). I think the combination of the extra meat, sweet onion, and bacon is what takes this chili to the top of my favorite fall recipes list!
 
To begin, I sautéed the onions in olive oil with 4 cloves of crushed garlic (aka 2 tsp of the handy pre-crushed garlic from the grocery store. Then, I added the ground beef and cooked thoroughly.
 
 
Once the meat and onion mixture was finished, I transferred it into the crockpot. Then, I simply poured in the remaining ingredients and allowed to cook in the crockpot on low for 4 hours.

 

The key to this recipe is to whip up some bacon for topping. Everything is better with bacon on top right?  I crumbled the bacon on top of each bowl right before serving and it really took this chili to the next level! 

 

If you follow a Paleo lifestyle, it would be easy to swap out the can of beans for .25lbs more lean beef and 1 cup of finely chopped carrots. E loves chili and he said this was one of his favorites, so I call that a major WIN! I hope you love it.
 
Crockpot Bacon Chili
by Lauren George
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 4-6 hours
Keywords: slow-cooker entree gluten-free fall winter

Ingredients (4 large servings)
  • 1.25 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 lb center cut bacon or about 2 strips per serving
  • 1 white onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-15oz can kidney beans
  • 1-15oz can all natural crushed tomatoes
  • 1-15oz can all natural tomato sauce
  • 4 tbsp chili powder (I used New Mexico chili powder)
  • salt to taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil and garlic in a large skillet and add diced onion. Sautee until onions begin to become translucent.
Add ground beef to onion mixture. Cook thoroughly.
Transfer meat and onion mixture into a crockpot.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Before serving, cook bacon in a large skillet. Crumble on top of chili and enjoy!
 
We are headed to the College Station this weekend for the A&M vs. Missouri game. I am excited to get to see all of my friends and family and watch the Aggies BTHO Mizzu! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
 
In health,
 
Lauren

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Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins

Monday, September 29, 2014

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We actually got to stay here and relax this weekend! It was wonderful.


Saturday was, as usual, full of football! Annabelle was very skeptical of the Aggies play in the first half.
 

And then down right shocked by OT!
 

Luckily, they pulled out a win because Daddy was about to pull all of his hair out!
 
Sunday, little miss woke up at 3:45 AM for a feeding, and I couldn't go back to sleep. I decided to get a few things done while she was asleep because you never know how naps are going to go with her.
 

I went on a quick 3 mile run in my new shoes. They felt amazing and by the end of mile 3, I though about taking another lap, but I wanted to tackle the grocery store before she woke up. After a quick shower, I made my list and headed to the store at 5:50 AM. I was literally the first person in when they opened the doors. HEB is normally crazy on Sunday's so the empty store was awesome! 

They were out of my normal PB2, so I decided to try PBfit instead. I used it in my oatmeal and the energy bites I made later in the day and was impressed. 

I made it home in time to start the laundry, unload the groceries, and enjoy a bowl of oatmeal in peace before the tiny human woke up at 7:15. I call that a win! 

The rest of Sunday was spent tackling laundry, running errands and prepping food for the week. Preparing food on Sunday for the week ahead is a huge help when you know you won't always have time to cook during the week. E always grills up a ton of protein on Sunday night, and this Sunday, I got busy baking protein muffins and homemade energy bites. 

Since little bit keeps me busy busy, I have found myself grabbing premade protein bars and shakes a lot more than normal lately. Although, these are great sometimes, I don't want to live on processed bars all day every day. In order to cut down on my consumption of packaged food, I have been experimenting with easy to grab baked goodies to keep around the house. One recipe I have fallen in love with are these Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins.


 
These muffins are high in protein and fiber and low in fat and sugar. The almond flour and coconut flour are slower digesting carbohydrates and the protein powder and eggs add tons of protein. They get their sweetness from all natural sources thanks to the bananas, apple sauce, and honey. They truly are extremely simple to make, absolutely delicious, and the perfect grab and go breakfast or snack. You can even eat them with one hand with a baby in the other hand. :)

Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins

by Lauren George
Prep Time: 10minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Keywords: bake breakfast bread dessert gluten-free paleo


Ingredients (serves 12)
  • 1/3 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder
  • 3 ripe bananas mashed
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or cocao nibs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line muffin tin with muffin liners or grease thoroughly.
Combine all wet ingredients with mashed bananas and mix well.
Add in dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
Scoop into muffin liners. Fill just below the top of the muffin tin (they will rise).
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
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Let me know if you give them a try. I hope you all have a wonderful Monday and a great week!

In health,

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Friday Funday Workout

Friday, June 27, 2014

Happy Friday Everyone!



Source

I hope you are all having a great Friday so far. My morning started bright and early for no reason at all. :) Little Miss woke me up kicking at 5 AM, and I couldn't go back to sleep. I read up on some baby articles, caught up on the news, and then got ready for my 8:15 AM meeting at the studio. After my meeting, it was time to get my sweat on. I stuck with the cardio and strength interval theme that I shared yesterday. Today, I used the TRX, kettlebell, and treadmill, but you could definitely sub your favorite cardio for the time on the treadmill. Here is what the workout looked like.


The TRX is a great tool for prenatal workouts because you have complete control over your level of resistance by how you position your body. It is also a great way to strengthen your core without lying on your back. As always, be sure to check with your physician before doing this or any workout while pregnant.

After my sweat session, I headed to meet my friend, Whitney, for lunch at a cool salad joint called Leaf. You can build your own salad with all the healthy and delicious toppings of your choosing. The two glowing white orbs are boiled eggs.


This morning, I noticed that I had some pretty ripe bananas hanging out in the fruit stand so I figured I better use them. I have been wanting to try out a Paleo banana bread recipe I found!


I actually had all of the ingredients on hand minus carob chips so I ran into Whole Foods and grabbed some on my way to lunch. The banana bread is currently in the oven and smells delicious! If it turns out yummy, I will be sure to share the recipe with you.

You only have three more days to enter my Pure Via Fit Kit Summer Giveaway if you haven't already!  


I hope you have a great rest of your Friday!!

What do you like to make with your over ripe  bananas?

In health,

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Blueberry Flax Mug Muffin

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Howdy Friends,

I have a delicious recipe to share with you today! One of our studio assistants brought in a blueberry muffin from Starbucks on Tuesday, and I have been craving one since then. Muffins are really something I struggle with because I LOVE them but I know they are usually a nutritionless carbohydrate and sugar bomb. That kind of takes the fun out of eating one when all I can think about is how much sugar is in it. I know, I'm a total buzz kill!

Anyways, I decided to experiment with a healthier blueberry muffin that I could make in the microwave whenever my craving strikes. I must say, I was quite pleased with how my first test run turned out!

First, I assessed the ingredients I had in the pantry and got to work creating a muffin batter.


I used my mini Ninja to make sure my batter was nice a smooth. Anytime I cook with coconut flour, I usually bust out the blender to get rid of any clumps.


After my batter was all blended up, I poured it in an extra tall mug to prevent any spill over while microwaving.


 Check out the final product. Not too shabby for the microwave!


I was super excited with how it turned out and dived right in once it cooled a bit. I will definitely be making this bad boy again in the future. I'm thinking tomorrow sounds good! :)

Blueberry Flax Mug Muffin

by Lauren George
Prep Time: 3 min
Cook Time: 7 min
Keywords: microwave breakfast gluten-free

Ingredients (1 muffin)
  • 1 tbsp almond flour
  • 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 3 tbsp almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 packets of stevia
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (this is option and I used the sugar free kind)
  • dash of salt
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
Instructions
Place all ingredients, minus the blueberries, in small blender or magic bullet. Blend until smooth. The coconut flour tends to make the batter clumpy if you try to mix it by hand.
Spray a microwave safe mug with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour muffin batter into mug.
Gently stir in blueberries.
Cook on 50% power for 6-7 minutes in microwave or until the top of the muffin is firm to the touch.
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Let me know if you give it a try! I hope you all have a great rest of your day!

In health,

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